Nestled on a sidearm creek off Oviedo's beautiful Lake Jesup, the Black Hammock Fish Camp dishes up a taste of the real Florida. The restaurant -- a modest rambler replete with screened porches and a waterfront dock and marina -- is tucked into a grove of saw palmettos, and there's always a bevy of motorcycles parked out front. Various preparations of fried alligator tail are the specialty, and fittingly so -- with nearly 10,000 resident gators, Lake Jesup boasts the largest concentration of the reptiles of any American lake. All the gator meat on the menu, however, is farm-raised. The buffalo-style preparation, a spicy version served with bluecheese dressing, is especially good.

Don't shy away from the appetizer called Hot Gator Eggs -- they're deep fried morsels of breaded cheddar and jalapenos, rather than incubating baby alligators. Local catfish and Florida mahi-mahi are among the fish features. And if you want a taste of all the local goodies, consider the Florida Sampler -- a walloping spread of frog legs, catfish and alligator meat. For the tamer taste buds at your table, there are plenty of burger and steak offerings, as well as pastas and salads. Live bands on the weekends draw a festive crowd. And the annual RajunCajun Crawfish Festival here in the spring is one of Oviedo's favorite hometown events. You can rent fishing gear on site. Kids get a kick out of the chance to meet Hammy, Black Hammock's resident alligator. Why not take the family for an airboat ride after your meal to get up close and personal with the wild gators that abound in the area?

Categories: Restaurants

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